Buyer III, Technology Procurement and Contracts Compliance

Harris County; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Harris County seeks a Buyer III, Technology Procurement and Contracts Compliance to lead contract compliance, negotiate strategy, and coach team members. This role balances cost, risk, and speed while delivering best-in-class technology products and services.

The Buyer III will drive procurement strategy, establish KPIs, collaborate with IT and business units, and ensure compliance across contracts, focusing on vendor management and process improvement.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of contract management experience.
• 3+ years vendor relationship management experience.
• 3+ years third party risk management experience.
• BA in Business Administration or related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement management, including development of competencies and negotiating terms.
• Evaluate sourcing options, including outsourcing/cloud, hybrid and in-sourcing models.
• Prepare formal solicitations with detailed specifications and supporting documents.
• Manage and track all formal solicitation projects for Universal Services and report to leadership.
• Coordinate with SMEs to prepare procurements and perform risk assessments on critical vendors.
• Sponsor process improvement projects to elevate procurement performance and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Develop relationships with internal/external stakeholders to align procurement with IT and business strategy.
• Prepare contract items for Commissioners Court, including amendments and renewals.

Skills

Contract management

Vendor relationships

Third party risk management

Education

BA in Business Administration or related field

Job description

The Buyer III, Technology Procurement and Contracts Compliance is responsible for establishing and ensuring contract compliance processes and procedures that balance cost, risk, and speed. This position includes leading negotiation strategy, advising and coaching team members, and delivering best-in-class technology products and services.

The Buyer III serves as the County's primary advocate to drive the technology procurement acquisition strategy and ensures compliance within existing contracts. The Buyer III will also establish metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) for the technology procurement team in order to develop guiding principles for the organization to align with the IT and business strategy.

Duties and Responsibilities

Procurement Management

• Ensure the development and maturity of key procurement competencies, such as business relationship management, best practices for negotiating, and overseeing contract terms and conditions.
• Lead the evaluation of optimal sourcing and pricing options, taking into consideration outsourcing/cloud, hybrid and in-sourcing models.
• Uncover unrivaled research materials to synthesize into actionable insights for contract negotiation.
• Manage and track all formal solicitation projects for Universal Services and provide regular updates to leadership.
• Work closely with subject matter experts (SMEs) to prepare all aspects of formal solicitations including detailed specifications, supporting spreadsheets, comparisons, recommendations, and justifications.
• Complete /support Third Party Risk Assessments for all critical vendors including contracts, performance, relationship per third party risk management guidelines
• Sponsor and initiate process improvement projects best suited to elevate procurement performance and stakeholder satisfaction.

Relationship Management

• Cultivate and communicate the importance of IT procurement to the organization's senior executive team, and develop an action plan to evolve procurement into a strategic business function through measurement targets with a combination of financial and non-financial deliverables.
• Build relationships with our internal and external stakeholders while providing procurement services in unison with driving agility and speed through cost, risk, and internal controls.

Administration Management

• Prepare contract related items for Commissioners Court to ensure contract amendments, renewals, and addendums are processed in timely and efficient manner.
• Prepares, maintains, and organizes appropriate files and records for contracts.
• Database entry.

Education

• BA in Business Administration or related field.

Experience

• Contract management experience (5 years+)
• Vendor relationship management experience (3 years+)
• Third party risk management experience (3 years+)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Thorough understanding of technology market trends.
• Well-developed communication skills to craft and deliver the appropriate messages to stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to identify the drivers, shifts, market dynamics and trends to advise and direct technology acquisition options analysis.
• Ability to provide proactive, high-value procurement consultation to the business through thorough understanding of the business needs.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple projects through effective prioritization

Automatic Disqualification

• Convictions, probation, or deferred adjudication for any Felony, and any Class A Misdemeanor
• Convictions, probation, or deferred adjudication for a Class B Misdemeanor, if within the previous 10 years
• Open arrest for any criminal offense (Felony or Misdemeanor)
• Family Violence conviction

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

Work Location

• 1310 Prairie, Houston, TX 77002

Work Schedule

• Hybrid/Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm

Physical Demands

• Light exertion
• Must be able to lift at least 20 lbs. and/or move boxes and equipment as needed.
• Subject to kneeling, crouching, handling, climbing, walking, sitting, twisting and reaching are needed to perform the essential functions.

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

If you need special services or accommodations, please call [phone] or email [e-mail]

This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Applicants for this position will be subject to a criminal background check that includes being fingerprinted. This applies to any position with network access to Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) or access to an area where CJIS is received, maintained or stored either manually or electronically (i.e. custodian, maintenance).